It’s like no other exercise facility in town, rather this room on the main floor of the Virginia Gay Hospital has all the traditional wares of a gym or exercise center but differs in a significant way: two caring healthcare professionals guide patients through a cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation process after a heart or respiratory event.

Coleen Long, RN and Mason Hoffman, RT (Respiratory Therapist) work under the supervision of Dr. Brian Meeker, DO in the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab Department at VGH and provide outpatient rehabilitation services, including supervised exercise and health education (e.g., diet and lifestyle assistance) to patients of all ages. Nurse Long stated, “We see patients after a heart event, such as a transplant, heart attack or bypass surgery or pulmonary event, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other respiratory events” to help patients regain their health.

Patients using the Rehab center arrive for their visit, weigh-in, are attached to telemetry (i.e., to wirelessly monitor their vital signs while exercising), blood pressure taken, and then are supervised while exercising on state-of-the-art exercise equipment.

The Rehab center was initially funded with money raised during the VGH Healthcare Foundation’s Tree of Lights fundraising event many years ago, and still benefits from the generous donations from community members during the annual event. This year two new sophisticated pieces of exercise equipment, a True Treadmill and NuStep recumbent cross trainer machine, were purchased from the 2013 Tree of Light’s fundraising efforts. Thank you!

OPEN HOUSE: February is National Hearth Month and Virginia Gay Hospital and Clinics is celebrating by showcasing the Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab Department on Friday, February 14th (10am-2pm) open house. Current and former patients, interested community members are encouraged to visit.